Laminate webs formed by the joining of discrete webs in a layered relationship are well known in the art. For example, often laminate nonwoven webs are utilized in disposable absorbent articles such as diapers and adult incontinence products. Such laminated webs can be used as a topsheet, backsheet, or side panels. One example of a laminate web is a film/nonwoven laminate useful for a stretch side panel of a disposable diaper. Nonwoven/nonwoven laminates are also utilized to provide additional bulk or softness to a web component. Likewise, film/film laminate webs can provide benefits by combining the characteristics of various films in a layered relationship. Laminate webs can also be called composite webs.
Less common examples of laminate webs include laminates of dissimilar materials. The materials may be dissimilar in mechanical tensile properties, thermal properties, or visual/tactile properties. For example, a nonwoven web may be joined to a relatively stiff fabric to provide for a soft surface feel to the fabric. The dissimilar materials may be joined by melt bonding, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding, and the like. Bonding methods are often determined by the materials themselves, but often require adhesive bonding. For example, a laminate or composite of materials having widely differing melt properties may require an adhesive layer between laminate layers. Even materials having similar melt properties, such as nonwoven and thermoplastic film materials are often joined by adhesive for adequate bonding to prevent unwanted delamination. Such processing methods can be expensive due to the addition of adhesive, and the resulting laminate is often relatively stiff, depending on the level of adhesive added.
Apertured laminate webs can be made by methods in the art. One beneficial method of aperturing a nonwoven web, for example, is disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,661, issued to Benson et al. on Jun. 29, 1999, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Benson '661 teaches a laminate material having, for example, at least one layer of a spunbonded web joined to at least one layer of a meltblown web, a bonded carded web, or other suitable material. Such apertured webs are useful as the topsheet in a disposable absorbent article. However, Benson '661 does not teach apertured laminate webs comprising completely dissimilar materials (e.g., materials of different material classes or having differing material properties).
As mentioned, nonwoven webs are beneficial as components of disposable absorbent articles, such as diapers, incontinence briefs, training pants, feminine hygiene garments, and the like, as well as in wipes such as disposable wet wipes. Nonwovens are also beneficial components of other disposable garments, durable garments, automotive components, upholstered furniture, filtration media, and other consumer or commercial goods. Nonwovens used in these and other applications benefit from their wide range of visual and tactile properties. However, used alone, such nonwovens are limited in the range of beneficial properties, including visual, tactile, strength or absorbent properties due to the limits of known methods of making, particularly as compared to woven or knitted materials.
Accordingly, it would desirable to have a laminate web having component webs of different material properties.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a laminate web formed by joining the constituent layers without adhesive.
Further, it would be desirable to have an apertured laminate web having visually distinct regions giving a fabric-like or knit-like look and feel.